Exploring Our Heavenly Treasures 5

Friday 22nd January 2021  A beautiful Friday morning to you in the name of Jesus and like we normally say, “thank God, it’s Friday!” But not just Friday, we thank God every single day.  I hope you have begun to practice the “disciplines” we’ve been talking about. These disciplines when practiced would help us mature so we can get the best out of our inheritance through investments we make.  Yesterday, we spoke about the Inward Discipline. Today we will be talking about the Outward Discipline.  The Outward Discipline are the things we practice in the company of people so that through our relationship with others, we can make the world a better place. There are also four practices under the Outward Discipline. The first one is Simplicity.  Simplicity is a life that is uncluttered and not cumbered with unnecessary things. It is a life that is focused on God and His Kingdom. Remember when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha, Marta the big sister was very busy doing so many things for Jesus and she came to Jesus and said “don’t you care that my sister isn’t doing anything, let her leave you to come work with me.” Jesus advice to Martha was to simplify her life. Luke 10:40-42 (NLT) 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”  God wants us to live a simple life focused on Him. The good thing is this, when you focus on Him and seek His kingdom first, all other things that people worry about is added to you.  The second Discipline is Solitude.  In Mark 1:35 (NKJV) it says, 35  Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  You will see that a lot of times Jesus will pull himself away from the crowd and just look for a quiet place to spend time with God. It is important we have time we detach from life’s pressure, life’s distraction, the hustle and bustle of life just to give ourselves to reflecting on the Word of God and on our lives to recharge. This exercise renews us and makes us better human beings.  The third one is Submission.  Submission simply means living a life that is yielded to God, you are easy for God to deal with, you obey Him promptly and your heart is malleable. God can mould you and shape you easily. This is what it means to be a person who is submitted to God.  And the last one is Service.  Service means that in our community of people, we live a life given to serving one others. We are not focused on everything being for us and about us. It is like having and practicing the fruit of the Spirit so that people can see God’s graciousness in us. We serve one another in love. So with respect to these disciplines, just like Paul said in 1 Timothy 4: 15 (MSG); "Cultivate these things, immerse yourself in them, the people would see you mature right before their eyes" These things are not just things to read and understand. They are things to cultivate and practice.  May God give us grace to do that in Jesus name.  God bless you.    Enjoy your weekend!